Published on: August 16, 2024
It’s hard for everyday people like me and you to remain on top of new cybersecurity threats and complex concepts while trying to protect our online privacy and digital rights without giving up the convenience of our favorite apps and technologies.
In this interview series by Safety Detectives, I talk to cybersecurity experts and thought leaders who share insights, actionable tips and future predictions that will help us better understand what is really going on with our data and protect your digital life more effectively without losing your sanity.
My guest today is Joshua Whiteman, Cyber Security Consultant at Titan Labs, a company focused on security defence solutions, with specialists across multiple tools and platforms such as SIEM, SOAR, EDR, XDR, and more. As leader of the Titan Labs’ MSSP division, he makes their military-grade security tools accessible to organisations while managing client relationships and supervising their infrastructure management.
His work as Global Cyber Security Advisor revolves around research into emerging threats and trends. He frequently delivers engaging presentations on a range of cybersecurity topics. Notably, in March 2024, he was invited by the British Embassy Baku to be a keynote speaker at the inaugural UK Cyber Expo in Azerbaijan.
What inspired you to pursue a career in cybersecurity? Can you share the story with us?
Like many who’s careers in cybersecurity began in the last few years, the WannaCry ransomware attack in 2017 was the pivotal moment that started me on a journey into cybersecurity. As many will know, this attack spread globally, impacting hospitals, businesses, and organisations across all sectors, causing untold disruption and financial loss.
📖 What happened in the WannaCry ransomware attack
The WannaCry ransomware attack infected over 300,000 computers across 150 countries. It leveraged EternalBlue, an exploit on Windows systems developed by the NSA to encrypt files. The perpetrators demanded $300-600 in bitcoin for decryption, though many victims never received their keys. Notable victims included the UK’s National Health Service, FedEx, Honda, and Nissan, with damages estimated in the hundreds of millions to billions. Luckily, a security researcher found a “kill switch” domain that stopped the malware. Debatably attributed to North Korea, this incident demonstrated the rapid global threat of ransomware worms and led to criticism of the NSA for not disclosing the EternalBlue exploit.
The scale and impact of WannaCry was eye-opening for me. It highlighted how vulnerable our digital systems can be and underscored the importance of strong cybersecurity measures. I was fascinated by how a single ransomware could cause so much chaos and wanted to understand the mechanics behind such attacks and how to prevent them. The realisation that cyberattacks had the potential to do so much harm motivated me to dive into the field and dedicate my career to preventing similar cyber threats in the future.
Since entering the world of cyber I’ve been lucky enough to work with clients across the world, and earlier this year was invited by the British Embassy Baku to be a keynote speaker at the 2024 UK Cyber Expo in Azerbaijan. Providing organisations with the knowledge, skills and technology to defend against cyber attacks is a hugely rewarding role, and I’d encourage anyone considering a career in cyber to go for it.
What are some things that people should STOP doing today because it’s damaging the safety of their data, and they don’t realise it?
One of the biggest threats to data safety is the reusing of passwords across multiple accounts. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone in this day and age who hasn’t had their account details breached, whether through their own mistake or, more commonly, because a service they use has suffered a cyber attack.
Now imagine if the email and password an attacker obtained is the same one you use for your social media, or for your banking app…
Using the same password across multiple platforms gives attackers the golden ticket to all your accounts, turning what could have been a minor inconvenience into a major breach of personal data.
STOP reusing passwords across multiple accounts and consider using a password manager.
A password manager can generate and store unique, complex passwords for each of your accounts, taking the hassle out of remembering them all.
If you want to go one step further, enable multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Where possible, this adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification, making it much harder for attackers to gain access even if they have your password.
STOP accepting website cookies indiscriminately.
Many people don’t realise how much information they are sharing when they click “accept all cookies” on every site they visit. This can allow websites to track your online behaviour and collect a significant amount of personal data, sometimes even on untrusted or dubious websites. START taking the time to review and decline cookies, especially on websites you don’t fully trust. Many browsers allow you to manage cookie settings and choose which cookies to accept. Additionally, consider using anti-tracking tools or enabling strict browsing modes if your web browser supports them. These features can help prevent websites from tracking your activity and collecting your data without your explicit consent.
Privacy-focused browsers: A few tips
On most web browsers you’ll find there’s a wealth of extensions, both free or available as part of antivirus or software, to block ads and trackers. Something else most people don’t realise is that there are other search engines out there than just Google, including many that are privacy and security-focused, such as DuckDuckGo.
No time for all of that? There are web browsers out there that come preloaded with privacy and security features. Brave is just one example that has great privacy features (just toggle off the Brave Rewards).
What common cybersecurity beliefs and practices do you passionately disagree with? Why?
Each year we see a handful of headlines relating to cyber security, and they are almost exclusively focused on the impacts on larger organisations following some kind of incident.
Unfortunately, a byproduct of only focusing on incidents involving big organisations is reinforcing the dangerous belief that small companies aren’t the target for cyber criminals, and therefore don’t need to invest in cyber security. Sadly, this isn’t the case.
Believing that small companies are not targets can lead to serious oversights. Whilst your local farm shop experiencing a cyber attack is unlikely to make the national headlines, you will feel the impact. And unlike larger enterprises with disaster recovery plans, hefty cyber insurance policies and teams of experts on hand to help recover from a cyber attack, for a small business owner being hit by an attack can be enough to topple your business.
At Titan, we’ve spoken to numerous organisations who’ve barely managed to recover, and a few who sadly never did. I hate to use phrases that sound like scaremongering, but unfortunately, it’s the sad truth and without action, small businesses are only going to continue to remain at greater risk.
Data speak – Small businesses are indeed targets of cyber attacks, and they are more vulnerable:
- In a survey conducted by Nationwide, only 9% of small business owners admitted being victims of cyberattacks, while 50% were targeted with attacks like phishing.
- The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) reported that 96% of all cyber attacks are directed at SMEs.
Sources:
https://www.nationwide.com/business/solutions-center/cybersecurity/cybercriminals-target-small-business
https://anthonyjones.com/why-small-businesses-targeted-cyber/
Thankfully, there are numerous solutions out there to strengthen your cyber security posture:
Cyber Essentials
For UK companies, the Cyber Essentials scheme provides an excellent benchmark for your cyber security technology, policies, and procedures, backed by the UK’s NCSC. At Titan, we’re a certified body for Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus. Our team can guide you through the process and support you in making any necessary changes.
Managed Service Providers
Securing your business effectively isn’t always easy to do yourself. Leaning on the expertise of a managed service provider can be a smart move. That’s why we created a range of managed services that can be tailored to provide a custom solution, ensuring optimal protection for any business.
Cyber Security Training
Even if you’re tech-savvy, can the same be said for your entire team? Your staff can be your greatest defence or weakest link. Our Titan Education team believes in the power of awareness, ensuring everyone in your company can play a vital role in spotting cyber threats.
What emerging technologies, trends and new threats do you believe will have a great impact in the next 5-10 years? How can we adapt to these upcoming changes?
This is going to sound like a cop-out, but Artificial Intelligence (or machine learning as I prefer to refer to it) really is the biggest change we’ve seen in decades, and we’re only just scratching the surface. AI and machine learning are revolutionising almost every aspect of cybersecurity, from threat detection and response to predictive analytics. These technologies can analyze vast amounts of data quickly and identify patterns that might be missed by human analysts, making them invaluable tools in the fight against cyber threats.
However, as AI becomes more integrated into our systems, it also introduces new vulnerabilities. Cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging AI to carry out more sophisticated attacks, such as automated phishing schemes, deepfake technologies, and AI-driven malware that can adapt and evolve to avoid detection. This dual-edged nature of AI means that while it offers significant defensive capabilities, it also poses substantial risks if not managed properly.
To adapt to these changes, it’s going to become increasingly important for organizations of all sizes to invest in cyber defences that can stand up to AI-powered threats. This includes staying abreast of the latest developments in AI and continuously updating security protocols to address new vulnerabilities.
Given the pace of development in AI, collaboration between industry, academia, and government will be crucial in creating standardised frameworks and sharing insights to enable individuals and organisations alike to leverage the opportunities offered by AI tools, without sacrificing security.
How can our readers follow your work?
Our Titan’s are all UK based, and are always happy to sit down for a virtual coffee if you’ve got questions about our services and how they can protect your business, or general questions on cyber (this may sound cheesy, but we really are all passionate about cyber!).
Email: info@titan-labs.co.uk
Tel: 0118 3241895
Website: https://titan-labs.co.uk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/titanlabs